Beverage Straw Ordinance

The Beverage Straw Ordinance bans restaurants in Davis from offering single-use plastic straws to diners who are eating their food at the restaurant. Restaurants are only allowed to give dine-in customers a disposable straw if they request one themselves. This rule does not apply to fast food and take-out.

The Beverage Straw Ordinance went into effect September 1, 2017. The penalty for violating this rule ranges from $100 to $500, depending on the number of past violations. The ordinance is part of the Davis plan for Zero Waste. The City of Davis maintains a website that explains the policy and their logic in passing it.

Plastic beverage straws are one of the major sources of plastic trash that is polluting the ocean and filling landfills. Though you cannot place plastic straws in recycling bins, you can recycle them by taking them to Recology on 2nd Street. This is also true for plastic bags, so you can save old straws in a plastic bag to take. By saving them to take the recycling center, you can avoid creating more plastic waste when it goes in the trash.

See Also Carryout Bag Ordinance Discussion